Directed by ShannonMurphy (Offspring, LoveChild), TheRopes is produced by HelenBowden (Wake in Fright, The Slap) and CourtneyWise (Fragments of Friday) and executive produced by SBS’s SueMasters and Lingo Pictures’ JasonStephens. Writers include TamaraAsmar (Doctor Doctor, Love Child), AdamTodd (Wentworth, Sea Patrol) and IanMeadows (HouseHusbands).

The story follows aspiring Iraqi-Australian boxing trainer Amirah Al-Amir (Chamoun), who has idolised her world champion father Sami (Naor) her entire life. While working in the family gym in Sydney’s west alongside her two brothers, Amirah negotiates a professional debut match for her hardnosed fighter Jess O’Connor (Castle-Hughes) with Sami’s longtime promoter Strick (Thompson). Furious that she has done this behind his back, her father threatens to cut her off. Desperate to chase her dream of transforming women’s boxing, will Amirah choose her fighter or her family?

SBS director of television and online content MarshallHeald said: “The Ropes continues SBS’s run of acclaimed provocative dramas that reflect Australian stories through a uniquely multicultural lens. This compelling and intense series is distinctly SBS, showcasing the complex and nuanced relationships of a migrant family alongside the physicality and deep-seated culture of misogyny in the sporting world.

“We are thrilled to be creating this stellar drama with the team at Lingo Pictures and an incredibly talented cast with a wealth of experience from all corners of the globe.”

Producers Helen Bowden and Courtney Wise said: “SBS has been supporting beautiful, daring drama and we are delighted to be working with them on The Ropes. The world of boxing is passionate and fraught with adversity and creating a female-driven story within this world is exciting. We are thrilled by the talented cast attached to portray this, including a fearless gang of women lead by Keisha Castle-Hughes and Nicole Chamoun.”

Also appearing in the series are LouisHunter (Troy, Out of the Blue), Michael Denkha (Devil’s Playground, The Code), TylerDeNawi (Doctor Doctor, Here Come the Habibs!), NeveenHanna (Tidelands, The Principal), Nader Hamdan (East West 101), PriscillaDoueihy (Back in the Game), SetarehNaghoni, ClaudeJabbour and introducing BonanzaDiab and OtisDhanji.